This month, Timmins City Council will hear from SHS Consulting, the firm developing a housing strategy for Timmins.
Affordable housing issues were one of the key concerns during the Timmins 2020 Strategic Planning sessions. There is a perception that we have too few housing options for seniors, young people and families. The average cost of a home in Timmins is $167,000 according to local realtors, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. The rental vacancy rate is less than 2%, and more than 1/3 of those renting accommodation are paying more than the suggested 30% of income on housing.
Another concern is that we have lots of available, relatively inexpensive serviced land, so how do we encourage investors to build homes here? The answer to better housing options can’t be left to the city alone- we will need private sector investments too.
SHS has developed realistic and workable housing strategies for communities across Canada, and we look forward to hearing their recommendations at the end of the month. Stay tuned for updates.
